Red Wings' Babcock: Lebda hasn't lost his job

AP File PhotoBrett Lebda has a minus-9 rating in 11 games with the Red Wings this season.

DETROIT -- Calling it a rough patch and a low point, Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brett Lebda said he is determined not to let a bad start crush his confidence.

"I know I can play in this league. I think Babs (coach Mike Babcock) knows I can play in this league,'' Lebda said. "People go through it throughout their careers. Hopefully, when I get back in there, I can take advantage of my opportunity and start playing a little bit better.''

After posting a minus-9 rating in 11 games, during which he was not on the ice for any goals scored by his team, Lebda was replaced by Derek Meech in Sunday's game at Vancouver. Babcock said Lebda also will not play Saturday at home against New Jersey.

"It's going to be tough to get back in the lineup when you play yourself out like that,'' Lebda said. "I can't think of a stretch where I was more frustrated with myself and disappointed. I worked hard in training camp to earn my spot back, and now, I got to work hard to get it back.''

"You feel you're playing better and you look at the sheet and you're still a minus. It gets frustrating,'' Lebda said. "Maybe this is a blessing in disguise, to just get myself to calm down a little bit and relax, and hopefully, I'll be back in the lineup sooner than later.''

Lebda's speed and puck-moving ability earned him a roster spot for much of 2005-06, his rookie season, in which he played in 46 games. He played regularly the past two seasons, appearing in 78 and 74 games, respectively.

But he has struggled with his defensive-zone coverage this season.

"Lebs has been outstanding for us for three years,'' Babcock said. "It hasn't gone as good. He gets a little reminder here. He's a real important part of our team, and it's important his confidence doesn't suffer any from this.

"He just gets reminded how hard it is and how much fun it is to play. Let's not get carried away here, Lebs hasn't lost his job.''

Franzen, Chelios skate
Johan Franzen skated Tuesday, his first time on the ice since he sprained his left medial collateral ligament Oct. 25, and said his injury is not as bad as last year's knee sprain, which idled him for 10 games.

"My range of motion has been good from day one, and I should be back sooner this time, hopefully, between two and three (weeks),'' Franzen said.

He said of the knee-on-knee collision with Chicago's Brent Sopel: "We both saw each other at the last second, couldn't get out of the way. I took the worst of it.''

Noting he sustained the same injury two years in a row during an early season game in Chicago, Franzen said, "Next year, I'll stay at home.''

Franzen and Chris Chelios skated before practice. They are not certain when they will begin practicing with the team.

Chelios, who fractured his right tibia blocking a shot during a preseason game in Montreal on Sept. 30, was on the ice for only a couple of minutes before realizing he was not ready to skate.

"Still quite sore,'' Chelios said. "Trained pretty hard this week (off-ice), thought I'd be a lot better off today because I was training with no pain.''

Nicklas Lidstrom had his sore right elbow looked at by a team doctor. He said it would not cause him to miss any games.

"It's been sore on and off for half a year or so, nothing severe,'' Lidstrom said.

Political views
Brian Rafalski voted by absentee ballot, but his three fellow Americans teammates did not vote.

Lebda, who is registered in Illinois, said he was disappointed not to get his absentee ballot in. Ty Conklin, who is registered in New Hampshire, said he would have voted for Barack Obama.

"This is probably a good time for change, the way things are going,'' Conklin said. "I think (Obama) is a pretty smart guy.''

He said of fellow Alaska native Sarah Palin, John McCain's running mate: "I think everybody in Alaska is proud of her, that's a pretty big accomplishment. Normally, I would vote Republican but probably not this year.''

Chelios kept his streak of never having voted intact.

"He should vote,'' Lidstrom said. "He's got a lot of opinions.''

Chelios shared some of them.

"I always had the mentality that once a president gets elected, whether he's a Democrat or Republican, you follow his lead,'' Chelios said. "Whether it's Obama or McCain, my best advice is to give him a chance to prove himself and earn the respect. Obviously, after the last election, we're divided. Hopefully, that won't be the case the next four years.''

As for why he doesn't vote, Chelios said, "My wife votes and one vote for the family is good enough.''